18 weeks... about 151 days to go!!

Had a doctor's visit today! It went well. Heart beat is still strong... didn't tell me the bpm but I have video to listen to :) Everything is going well. I measured 14 cm... which is good I'm assuming (I just looked it up and it's the fundal height, according to babycenter I should be 16 - 20 cm so maybe a little small, shrug). I'll find out more next Tuesday when I have my next sonogram. Can't wait to see how big the wee one has gotten. Apparently I'm starting to show but I don't see it... I think I'm too fat to tell. LOL. My final appointment here will be April 21st! Then I'll be home for the rest! Wahoo... I'm excited to be home. 30 days left and should be home in 33!!! but who's counting! :) My Baby: Your baby's brain is growing rapidly. By this stage, all of the major areas have been differentiated. The cortical layers, which govern specific brain functions, are beginning to form. The fetus may exhibit signs of a primitive body language in utero, such as recoiling when the needle for the amniocentesis comes too close for comfort. Within the next few weeks, she'll be able to hear voices outside the womb and respond positively to music or loving words. It's time to fine-tune your singing and storytelling skills! Baby's Size: Soda Can Baby's Length: 5-5.5 in. Baby's Weight: 5-7 oz. How your baby's growing: Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. (Please hide!!!)

Wahoo!!

Gary got the job at Globe University!! I'm so proud of him. It's a step in the right direction and hopefully next quarter he'll get more hours and more responsibility. I only have 36 days left!! I'm so excited to be home again... back to my comfort zone. And since we know Gary's schedule he's going to be able to fly out and drive back with me. I'll be leaving right after work on Friday, April 24th. I'll go pick up Gary at the airport and we'll head out from there... go as far as we can and stop for the night. Then push on Saturday so that we only have a few more hours on Sunday. That way he'll be well rested for class Monday night. Getting more excited for my sonogram on March 31st. I can't wait to see how big the wee one has gotten. And next week I'll get to listen to the heart beat again, on the 24th. Hopefully, I'll get more 3D pictures so I can post them. :) Monday, we're taking a trip to Goddard Space Flight Center. :) Don't have to sit in the office bored all day. Yah... I'm excited. Scared I'll be walking more than I'll be able to handle but it should be fun and interesting. I have pictures to upload but just haven't gotten around to it. Sorry, I'm lagging on posting pictures. I forgot I'd take them... I'm going to DC again this weekend. It will be nice to be away from this place for awhile again. Looking forward to it. It's also suppose to be nice weather so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get to see lots more... but not as much walking as last time though. Might get the pass so I can hop on and off a bus to see things. We'll see what happens. Anyway... I hope everyone else has a wonderful weekend!! *HUGS* :)

17 weeks today! About 161 days to go :)

They seem to have conflicting info from their websites to the emails they send me... go figure! But we still get an idea of what's going on... sorta. :) March 24th and 31st are my next appointments. The first one with the doctor and the second for my sonogram!! Excited to see how big the wee one has gotten! Hopefully, I'll get more picture including the 3D ones that I can scan in and post again. So amazing! Missing everyone back home!! My Baby: At 4 to 5 inches long and about 7 ounces, your baby is roughly the size of a large pear. And she's ripening--the brain, muscles, nervous and circulatory systems, and urinary tract are all functioning. Amniotic fluid is pumping through her lungs. Her skeleton, composed of rubbery cartilage, will harden later. From the email I receive: Her delicate skeleton is continuing to harden from cartilage to bone. Make sure you're slugging that milk -- calcium helps firm up her frame. What's more, this week your baby starts developing body fat, which will keep her snuggly after she exits your womb. Baby's Size: Beanie Baby Baby's Length: 4.5-5 in. Baby's Weight: 3-5 oz. How your baby's growing: Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

16 Weeks about 165 days to go!

My Baby: Your little one has hiccups! An involuntary movement of the diaphragm causes these painless contractions. In adults, this movement is followed by closure of the vocal cords (making the familiar "hic" noise); because the baby's trachea is filled with fluid rather than air, fetal hiccups don't generate sound. The frequency of hiccups varies widely, with some babies experiencing several bouts a day and others never seeming to get them at all. By the sixth month, you'll be able to "see" fetal hiccups as they occur--they'll make your belly jump. Baby's Size: Rubber Ducky Baby's Length: 4.5-5 in. Baby's Weight: 2.5- 3 oz. How your baby's growing: Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

First baby gift! :)

I came into work today... a few minutes late because I got stopped by road construction. Anyways... a few weeks ago my officemate, John, said he had a dream I was having a boy who would play the guitar. Low and behold... he came in today and handed me a square of plastic. He then told me it was a guitar... I could play with it now or later. Of course, I had to blow it up right away and take pictures. I think it was very sweet of him to get it. How adorable! :) John is convinced since he found out that I was pregnant that I'm having a boy. Of course, he won't know for sure until the wee one comes along... So... finally... here are the pictures!! :)

Pictures of my wee one are hanging in my office... :)

No work for me today!

I don't have to go to work today!! It snowed over night and since they can't handle snow over here the base was closed!! Wahoo!!! Hope everyone has a fabulous day!

My car with snow on it! You'd think we'd have inches of snow instead of just a covering! :)

15 weeks 2 days... about 174 days to go!! :)

It's been an uneventful weekend. The weather has been cold and rainy so I've stayed inside. I've also been dealing with headaches more so those keep me down a lot of the time. Can't wait for them to pass. My Baby: The body is now growing faster than the head, balancing out that brain-heavy look and making the fetus appear more baby-like. The skin is covered with lanugo, an ultrafine hair that protects it until birth. There's also hair on the baby's head, and the beginnings of tiny eyebrows. Your little one is now about 4 inches long and weighs just under 2 ounces. Baby's Size: Lemon Baby's Length: 4-4.5 in. Baby's Weight: 1.5-2 oz. How your baby's growing: Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.") - Our baby will be stubborn so it's a good thing we don't want to know!!